Su-7 Bmk 1:48 Smer 0854

Plastic model airplane to assemble: Su-7 Bmk 1:48 Smer 0854

The plastic model Su-7 Bmk in 1:48 scale from Smer is an excellent proposition for aviation and modeling enthusiasts who wish to recreate one of the most iconic fighter-bomber aircraft of the Soviet Union. This assembly kit allows you to build a detailed model of the Su-7 airplane, which played a significant role in the history of military aviation in the 1960s.

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:48
• Number of parts: 162
• Model length: 32.35 cm
• Model height: 29.90 cm

Characteristics of the Su-7 airplane: The Sukhoi Su-7, known by its NATO code as Fitter-A, is a supersonic fighter aircraft with swept wings, developed by the Soviet Union in 1955. Initially designed as a tactical fighter for low-altitude combat, it did not succeed in this role. However, the Su-7B series, introduced shortly thereafter, became the main fighter-bomber and attack aircraft of the USSR in the 1960s.

The Su-7 airplane was characterized by its simplicity of design, but its Lyulka AL-7 engine had such high fuel consumption that it severely limited the aircraft's payload. Even on short distances, it was necessary to use at least two suspension points for fuel tanks, which restricted the ability to carry armament.

Design and development: After the death of Joseph Stalin, the Sukhoi design bureau was reopened and began work on a swept-wing front-line fighter in the summer. The first prototype, designated S-1, was designed to utilize the new Lyulka AL-7 turbojet engine. It was the first Soviet aircraft to employ a fully movable horizontal stabilizer and a movable inlet cone to manage airflow to the engine at supersonic speeds.

The aircraft also featured 60° swept wings, irreversible hydraulically assisted controls, and a self-designed ejector seat by Sukhoi. The S-1 prototype made its first flight on September 7, 1955, under the control of pilot A. G. Kochetkov. After being equipped with the AL-7 engine version with an afterburner, the prototype set a Soviet speed record of 2,170 km/h (Mach 2.04) in April 1956.

The prototype was to be armed with three Nudelman N-37 cannons of 37 mm caliber and 32 gyroscopically stabilized unguided rockets of 57 mm caliber in a belly pod. The second prototype, S-2, introduced some aerodynamic improvements. Testing was complicated due to the unreliable engine, and the S-1 was lost in a crash on November 23, 1956, in which pilot I. N. Sokolov was killed.

Assembly and painting kit. Does not include paints or glue. To assemble, separately sold modeling tools are needed (including cutters, files, tweezers), paints, brushes, and plastic model glue (e.g., Tamiya Extra Thin Cement). The photo shows a professionally assembled and painted model.